Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town

Hardcore fans who love the game will enjoy seeing it in its new beauty, while newcomers get to enjoy its engrossing farming life for many hours before it grows stale. As long as people do not go in expecting the best farming life sim on the market, then this update to an Harvest Moon classic can put a warm smile on your face, especially when enjoyed with a nice glass of freshly milked coffee milk.

Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town is such a calming experience from it’s very sweet and earthy tunes to its simple routine. While credits can be rolled in about twenty hours, this a game that is meant to be played well beyond the player’s first year. There are lots of friendships to make, storylines to unfold, and gossip to be found. While I wish the presentation had been stronger, I won’t deny the fun I had courting my librarian love while also enjoying the fruits of my virtual labour. Friends of Mineral Town is an engaging game for those of us who love and need a sense of repetition in these times of uncertainty.

Heartwarming interactions, easy to grasp farming mechanics, and upbeat graphics and soundtrack provide any fans of the farm sim genre an enjoyable experience. For old fans of the series, this is a fine remake with nice improved updates to bring back some great memories, and for new players this offers a well-executed farming sim experience with a great gameplay loop.

If you’re looking for something to sink hours into and enjoy a slow, steady stroll rather than an action-packed sprint, Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town might just be for you.

We return to Mineral Town with a great facelift that bets on simplicity of mechanics and simplicity in its menus and staging. We find a very classic Harvest Moon-style adventure, where we lose ourselves for days harvesting and improving our farm, but there is something decaffeinated and empty in these times, being a very brief option in terms of ambition.

Despite its age, simplicity, and lack of embellishments, Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town proves the Bokujō Monogatari franchise has been on the money since the very beginning. Its content may feel a little sparse compared to its successors and competitors, but I can see myself returning to these lands long after the next harvest moon.

Its laid-back gameplay and overall simplicity are extremely peaceful and addicting, but I would advise that new players manage their expectations. Because of my concern for how new players will respond to the lack of meaningful content, I do question whether this specific remake was necessary. Nevertheless, veterans and nostalgic fans who are looking forward to revisiting this game will find a classic installment that maintains all of its original charm and modesty — and does so better than ever.

Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town is a faithful remake of its previous iterations. However, there's simply too much missing when it comes to story and gameplay which holds it back from being a must-have game in the series.

Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town faithfully revisits and modernises the Game Boy Advance Harvest Moon classic, which will delight nostalgia-seekers. However, there’s still plenty of room for the Story of Seasons series to grow in a post-Stardew Valley world.

Friends of Mineral Town feels flat and simplistic as a result of trying too hard to emulate the game it’s based on. Although there is a fair amount of freedom to play the game as you see fit, it’s difficult to recommend the latest Story of Seasons entry over something like Stardew Valley or even the two 3DS games. In-game achievements, hidden items to collect, and an easy mode are all welcome features; ultimately, though they don’t contribute enough to make for a compelling experience. Those who want to enjoy the nostalgia of Harvest Moon on SNES and GBA will like coming back to something familiar, but Story of Seasons Friends of Mineral Town isn’t necessarily worth throwing in the shipping box.

It’s fine, it’s just not all that special.

Ultimately, Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town is a serviceable and cute farming simulator, albeit a little shallow.